It looks like The Sci Fi Channel is pretty pleased with itself this week, especially since the premiere of the Amanda Tapping series Sanctuary delivered (what I’m gathering) great ratings for the cable network. I liked what I saw of the show’s 2-hour premiere, but I have to admit, I kind of tuned out and back in every now and then throughout the episode. The show seemed to lag for me at times, and although it had a nice premise, and it’s great to see Tapping weekly again, I don’t know, I think Sanctuary could stand some retooling. For one, make it move faster, pick up the pace. In short: less talk, more action.

Here’s the Press Release hyping the show’s premiere ratings:

2.7 Million Tune In For Series Premiere

NEW YORK – October 6, 2008 – SCI FI’s groundbreaking new original series Sanctuary, which premiered on Friday, October 3 (9-11 pm), was the #1 primetime cable entertainment program among Adults 25-54 and the #4 among Adults 18-49. Sanctuary delivered more than 2.7 million total viewers (P2+), 1.08 million Adults 18-49, and 1.4 million Adults 25-54. With its 2.2 HH rating, Sanctuary is the highest rated original series premiere since Eureka made Channel history in July 2006.

Sanctuary helped to make SCI FI the #1 cable network airing entertainment programming in 8-11 pm primetime with Adults 25-54, and among adults 18-49 the Channel was ranked #2.

SCIFI.com also had record highs. Since measurement began in 2006, Sanctuary is the best performance online for any SCI FI series debut in all key metrics. Sanctuary’s web performance boosted SCIFI.com to 1.2 million page views, 208,000 uniques, and 287,000 video streams on Friday, October 3, 2008.

Sanctuary follows the adventures of the beautiful, enigmatic and always surprising Dr. Helen Magnus (Tapping), a brilliant scientist who holds the secrets of a clandestine population — a group of strange and sometimes terrifying beings that hide among humans. Along with her new recruit, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), her quirky tech wiz Henry (Ryan Robbins) and her fearless daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup), Magnus seeks to protect this threatened phenomena as well as unlock the mysteries behind their existence. The series also stars Christopher Heyerdahl as the sinister John Druitt.

Created by Damian Kindler (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis), Sanctuary is produced in association with SCI FI Channel and is distributed by Tricon Films and Television. The show is executive produced by Damian Kindler, Sam Egan, Amanda Tapping, Martin Wood, Keith Beedie, and N. John Smith.

I’m no ratings hound, but I think the above means the network was very pleased with the results of Sanctuary’s premiere.

I personally think the show has potential, but I have to admit, it did seem to bog down in a lot of talking at certain points. But that’s one of the problems with series pilots, especially with shows that are as mythos heavy as Sanctuary. There’s just so much background to lay out for the viewer, that sometimes the exposition seems to go on endlessly. It felt that way for me with the 2-hour premiere. Hopefully now that they’ve established the ground rules for the show’s world, they can get on with things.